Right after the vote in June, a number of charities have actually been seeking our guidance about the effect of the decision to leave the EU. Additionally, some enterprises have found their projects positioned in very uncertain situations, with applications to funds like the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) pending and no strong or dependable guidance from the Government or regional LEPs regarding whether or not the financing streams will still come to fruition.

Whilst at this phase nobody knows with certainty exactly what the impact will be, we would certainly suggest that non profit organizations confronted with the challenge of an unknown outcome from European funding follow these crucial steps:

1. Don't Panic!

In the years following 2008, charities as well as not-for-profits throughout the UK made it through one of the worst times of economic downturn the country has ever seen. If you managed to get through the difficult times of the previous 8 years, you're highly likely to make it through BREXIT as well.

2. Communicate with current funders

If you're mid-way through fundraising for a big undertaking, talk with your current funders now. If they have actually committed already it's simply because they have confidence in your undertaking and will be understanding of your position - some might even increase their grant offer to cover a potential shortfall.

3. Mitigate

Facing the issue head on and giving a brief review of precisely how you intend to mitigate against a possible funding deficiency - seeking other funders, scaling or phasing a project etc. - will be viewed positively by both present and potential contributors alike, creating confidence in your organisation.


If you require guidance concerning your development strategies or fundraising strategy template challenges, feel free to get in touch with one of our Directors for a casual chat.